Student Protesters Breach Police Barricades in Patna During Demonstration Against Electoral Roll Revision

PATNA — Student protesters breached police barricades near J P Golambar on Tuesday during a demonstration against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, demanding the scrapping of the exercise and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The march was called by Left organisations, with participation from NSUI members, the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and the Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA). Demonstrators waved the national flag and raised slogans against the Centre and the Election Commission.

The protest highlights growing political and student opposition to the electoral roll revision, which critics contend threatens the voting rights of eligible citizens.

Police had erected barricades along the route to prevent the march from reaching Lok Bhavan. Protesters broke through these barriers, scuffled with security personnel and advanced towards Dak Bungalow Square. At Dak Bungalow, participants climbed onto barricades, engaged in a tug-of-war with police and carried away sections of the infrastructure.

Placards featured slogans targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar, alongside calls for the protection of voting rights. Some posters also questioned police preparedness.

During the unrest, some youths allegedly took the keys to a vehicle transporting detained demonstrators, enabling the detainees to open the gates and escape.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Law and Order-1) Krishna Murari Prasad stated that 12 protesters were initially detained but subsequently escaped. Gandhi Maidan SHO Akhilesh Kumar Mishra said nine other individuals were detained separately and later released on bond. City SP (Central) Chandra Prakash and SDPO Manoj Kumar responded to the scene with a police team. The demonstrators dispersed after three hours.

AISA Bihar president Dhananjay called for the total scrapping of the SIR exercise, a halt to the deletion of names from electoral rolls, and the resignation of the CEC, alleging the revision undermines eligible voters’ rights.

NSUI state vice-president Bhagya Bharti described the demonstration as part of a broader struggle to defend democratic institutions. “The fight to save democracy is the second freedom struggle,” she said.